Orca Bay RED - Extra - Again

Remember these? -

The left-over RED string blocks -

From Orca Bay RED -

I think that I may have found -

The perfect book -

With the perfect pattern -
For their new home - ;))

Bonnie Hunter’s -
Book - String Fling -
Pattern - Talkin’ Turkey!
Available - here -

Add it to my list -

Yes, I will - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Orca Bay - Red Extra - E - Gold Sashes

OK - let’s try this -

How about GOLD sashing -
Instead of RED? -

Same drill as with the RED sashes -

Lay some squares out -
On a length of fabric -
Spaced about the same distance -
As sashing strips would be -
(Saves having to cut them at this point - ;))

And add some red cornerstones -
Not bad -

But I had RED sashes in my head -
After the EQ7 muslin ones didn't work -

So now I can't decide -

I gotta play some more in EQ7 -

Maybe try RED sashes and GOLD cornerstones -

Oh - and I found the cookie sheet -
With the blue strips -
On the dining room table -
Right where I left it - ;))

So I could play with those for a while -

Instead -

While this one marinates in my head for a while - ;))

Or -

I could just admit that I saw another squirrel!! ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Orca Bay - Red Extra - D - Red Sashes

How about RED sashing -
Instead of muslin? -

Lay some squares out -
On a length of fabric -
Spaced at about the same distance -
As sashing strips would be -
(Saves having to cut them at this point - ;))

Yeah - I think it LIKES the red -
At least I’m going to TRY it - ;))

What about green cornerstones? -

Nah - too Christmasy -
But - wait -
I have another idea -

Back to my Fabric Stash Room again -

And I’m thinking that my Orca Bay - Blue Extra -
Might need another couple of blocks -

So - while I’m back there -
I gotta find that cookie sheet -
With all the pretty little blue strips -
All sorted out -

Unless - of course -
It’s still on the dining room table -

Probably should check there first - huh? ;))

Be back in a bit -



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Orca Bay - Red Extra - C - Muslin Sashes

Next step -
I need some 2” muslin strips -
For sashes -

Got a die for that -
And some “test” strips -
Sorry for the crappy lighting -
The strips are NOT that color -
They are actually muslin - ;))

As you can see -
The die left wrinkles and creases in the strips -
And THAT die was the REPLACEMENT die -
For the one I returned -
For the same problem -
So I expect that another one won’t be much better -
My opinion only - I could be wrong - ;))

So I salvaged what I could of those -

And pulled out my handy-dandy -
June Tailor Short Cut ™ -
For the rest -

I told you about it before - here -
It's also on my list to do a proper REVIEW -
Short version - It's GREAT!! -
Any screw-ups are usually "operator error" -
NOT the fault of the ruler -;))

Going along nicely -
UNTIL I realized -
That I had cut these guys at 1-1/2” -
Instead of 2” - ;))

DO OVER!!

Cut another strip at 5-1/2” first -

Then turn the strip sideways -

And cut them puppies at 2” -
This time - ;))
Much better -

Cut a couple more -
BUT this batch -
Came out 2” wide -
And 1/2” SHORT - ;))

Re-cut THEM -
And made pretty little stacks of 10 each -
Plus the extras -
Count ‘em - 96 -

I need 97 -
So -

I’m ONE SHORT!! - ;))

SERIOUSLY?!?!?!?

S-E-R-I-O-U-S-L-Y ?!?!?!?

I don’t BELIEVE this!! ;))

But I DO believe -
That quilts TALK to you -
At least mine talk to ME - ;))

And THIS quilt is -
Saying -
Shouting -
Yelling -
SCREAMING -
LOUDLY -

I DON’T WANT MUSLIN SASHES!!!

So - back to EQ7 and the Fabric Stash Room -

To find a different plan -
Or a different color -
To stop those Extremely Loud -
And Incredibly Close -
Quilty voices in my head - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Orca Bay - Red Extra - B - Red Cornerstones

So I think that I have a plan -
Thanks to EQ7 -
Gotta luv that program!! ;))

Now I need some 2” squares -
Got a die for that -
Cuts 6 at a time -
Four layers -
Paper on top to help with “static cling” -
Run it through -

And get this -
"Perfectly normal” according to customer service -
"Annoying as hell" according to me - ;))

Cut me a bunch of those -
And then CLIP me a bunch of those - ;))

And go digging in my stash -
For what I need -
For the next step -


Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Orca Bay - Red Extra - A - All Trimmed

So I got all 45 of them trimmed -
Haven’t made the extra ones yet -

Just laid them out -
Stacked and labeled the rows -

And - NO - I am not going to sew it together in rows -
That’s just so that they don’t get out of order -

They still have the paper on the back -
So they won’t stick to the design wall -

And I’m too lazy to pin them all up there -
To keep them from blowing off -
Like the Orca Bay Bones blocks did last week - ;))

So - now I’m going to play in EQ7 -
To see if I really have to make more blocks -

Or if I can come up with something -
That will use the ones I already have -

Oh - and now that the blocks are done -
(I’m calling them DONE - until I know that I HAVE to make more - ;))

I can move this puppy -
From -
Stage 7.  Need Block Construction - Partially Done - etc.

To -
Stage 6.  Need Top Construction - Layout - Borders - etc.

Onward and Upward - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Orca Bay - Red Extra - WINNER

And the WINNER is -
At least for now -
I reserve the right to change my mind - ;))
===

C. Orca Bay - Red Extra -
String blocks - 51 - oops! - make that - 45 need trimming

I forgot that I used 6 blocks -
To make 12 geese for the RED Border on Orca Bay RED -

So -

Option 4 - Make four more - for a total of 49 blocks -
and then make a 7x7 quilt - 35" x 35"

I'm still at the trimming stage -

But I do have some of them done -

---

One of these days -

I'll be able to move this one from -

Stage 7.  Need Block Construction - Partially Done - etc.

Up to -

Stage 6.  Need Top Construction - Layout - Borders - etc.

And then to -

Stage 5.  Need Back - Sleeve - Binding - Label - etc.

But not just yet - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Design Wall Monday - More Squirrels!

DESIGN WALL MONDAY - More Squirrels!
Check out all of us who link up with Judy L. at Patchwork Times on Mondays.
We have some awesome stuff on our walls!
Well, THEY do - ME - not so much sometimes - ;))
===

Thought I might work on Orca Bay Bones -

While I was thinking about what fabrics -

I wanted to use/play with on

The Leisurely Wife Quilt-A-Long -

So I put some black and white blocks up on the wall -

But my design wall is next to my window -

And I like to keep the window open -

And it was windy -

And they all blew down - ;))

So I took that as a sign -

And made a Jelly Roll Race Quilt (#3) instead - ;))

If you have never heard of a JELLY ROLL RACE QUILT - watch the video - it's terrific!!

Strips sewn end to end -
I like to join them with straight seams -
It’s just easier for me -

Used a wastebasket -
To keep them off the floor -

But then I dumped them on the floor anyway -

‘cuz I needed the wastebasket -
To catch them as they were coming off the back end of the sewing machine -

Balanced it nicely on my desk -
And propped it up against the window -

And -

After a bit of mindless sewing -
I had this -

Ta Dah!

Jelly Roll Race Quilt #3 -

Now I can add it to my Stage 5 stuff -
Since it was never on the list -
In the first place - ;))

Stage 5.  Need Back - Sleeve - Binding - Label - etc.



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Orca Bay - Blue Extra - WINNER

So - what to do with the EXTRA blue string blocks - from Orca Bay RED - ??

I listed some of my options - here -

A.  Orca Bay - Blue Extra A -
String blocks - 7 done -

Option 1 - Make 7 coasters - 3”x3”
Option 2 - Make 3 coasters and one 2x2 mug rug - 6” x 6”
Option 3 - Make two more for a 3x3 tablemat - 9” x 9”
Option 4 - Do nothing.

B.  Orca Bay - Blue Extra B -
String blocks - 14 half done -

Option 1 - Finish them up and add them to the 7 blocks already done = 21 -
Make one coaster and one 4x5 tablemat - 12” x 15”
Option 2 - Make more and make an actual quilt - ;))
Option 3 - Do nothing.

===

And the WINNER is/was -
At least for now -
I reserve the right to change my mind - ;))

A - Option 4. - Do nothing.
B - Option 1. - Make one coaster and one 4x5 tablemat - 12” x 15”

But - before I could do that -

I changed my mind - again -

Big surprise, huh? ;))

I decided to make a couple more blocks - total 24 -
To make the tablemat slightly larger - 4 x 6 - 12” x 18”

Finished up one of the little blue string blocks -

Squared it up with my Easy Square Jr. -
Love this ruler - really gotta do a REVIEW -

UP the LEFT side - ACROSS the TOP -

Flip the block around -
Line up the 3-1/2” marks -
And again -
UP the LEFT side - ACROSS the TOP -

Saving the trimmed bits -
For “crumb” blocks -

Got my 24 blocks all trimmed -
Left the paper on -
To stabilize all of those bias edges -

Spread them out on one of my placemats -
To check the size -
Looks like it’s gonna be just right -

Sew them together into 4-patches -
OR - 6 “chunks” - ;))

All together now -

Check it against the placemat -
Shrunk a little - but not much -

Take the scraps -
Sort them by width -
Then by length -

Take another handful -

Press them all out -
Sort them by length -

Bag them up -
For my scrap bins -

And move Orca Bay - Blue Extra -

From Stage 7 -
Stage 7.  Need Block Construction - Partially Done - etc.

To Stage 5 -
Stage 5.  Need Back - Sleeve - Binding - Label - etc.

Movin' On UP!! ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Extra Day - Extra Stuff

Who knew that Bonnie Hunter's Orca Bay Mystery Quilt -

Would be good for FOUR new UFOs for 2012??

I had already added Orca Bay RED to Stage 5 -

But had forgotten to add the EXTRAS to Stage 7 -

So - I fixed it -

Stage 5.  Need Back - Sleeve - Binding - Label - etc.
Orca Bay RED

Stage 6.  Need Top Construction - Layout - Borders - etc.

Stage 7.  Need Block Construction - Partially Done - etc.
Orca Bay - Blue Extra
Orca Bay - Red Extra
Orca Bay Bones - Black/White Extra

=====

This being Leap Year -

And this being the EXTRA Day -

I think that I might work on the EXTRA stuff today -

Or not - ;))

And -

Oh - yeah -

I went back to calling my WISPs - Works In Slow Progress -

UFOs - Un-Finished Objects -

Technically they are both -

But UFO is shorter -

And fits better on my new button -

Over there on the side -

The RED one -

Telling the world -

That -

I am the QUEEN of UFORIA -

where UFOs Reside In Abundance -

Feel free to grab the button -

If you have a bunch of UFOs -

And do NOT feel the LEAST BIT guilty -

Even though someone else -

Thinks that you should - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Design Wall Monday - Orca Bay - Extra Stuff

DESIGN WALL MONDAY - ORCA BAY - 2/27/12
Check out all of us who link up with Judy L. at Patchwork Times on Mondays.
We have some awesome stuff on our walls!
Well, THEY do - ME - not so much sometimes - ;))
===

I just realized that -

I still need/want/have to tell you -

What I have planned for the Orca Bay "Extra" stuff -

A.  Orca Bay - Blue Extra A -
String blocks - 7 done -

Option 1 - Make 7 coasters - 3”x3”

Option 2 - Make 3 coasters and one 2x2 mug rug - 6” x 6”

Option 3 - Make two more for a 3x3 tablemat - 9” x 9”

B.  Orca Bay - Blue Extra B -
String blocks - 14 half done -

Option 1 - Finish them up and add them to the 7 blocks already done = 21 -
Make one coaster and one 4x5 tablemat - 12” x 15”

Option 2 - Make more and make an actual quilt - ;))

C.  Orca Bay - Red Extra -
String blocks - 51 need trimming

Option 1 - Make two mug rugs - 5" x 5" - and one 7x7 quilt - 35” x 35”

Option 2 - Make more and make an actual quilt - ;))

D.  Orca Bay Bones - Black/White Extra
47 Black/white blocks on wall -

Option 1 - Make one quilt - BOB’s WAY - ;))

Option 2 - Make two quilts - one black - one white

Option A4 - B3 - C3 and D3 -

Do nothing -

Doing nothing is ALWAYS an option - ;))

===

I think I already know what I'm going to do -

But -

If you guys have any other ideas -

Please let me know -

Any and all suggestions are welcome - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Orca Bay RED - Borders

BEFORE -

AFTER -

What a difference a border makes, huh??

It still looks BUSY to me -

But I DON”T CARE anymore  -

Because - now -

It’s BUSY AND RED!!  ;))

And I LOVE RED!!

===

This next part is to show you -

How I Did it -

============
Note - these instructions are written in LEFTISH.
If you are right-handed - just reverse the directions.
============

I had said that it needed one more border -

OK - I did that -

Put some more “geese” up on the wall -
Only RED ones this time -
Add some squares -

Add some “wings” -

Might need another border -

Laid the first round out on my handy-dandy mini-design boards

And for the second round of red -

What about left-over strips -

What about this great red/purple print -

What about both left-over strips AND the red/purple print -

What about left-over strips in the center sections -
And something else in the corners -

Yeah - that might work -

Sew the center sections first - 

Add the corners -
To the top and bottom strips -

When I pin on my borders -
I put an extra pin in the side -
To help keep it square -

Sometimes the seam needs to get pressed -
The other way -
To let it “nest” with the top seam -

The pin in the red “goose” section -
That goes the “wrong” way -
Is marking the match point -
Of the black “goose” on the bottom side -

If the whole seam on the top section -
Lines up with the seam on the bottom section -

Chances are -
My block corners will match better -

And the top will come out more square -

It’s not as perfect as the professional quilters can get -

But it’s good enough for me - ;))

And it would have been a whole lot easier -

If I had KNOWN -

That I was going to add those RED borders -

When I was still sewing the center "chunks" -

I could have just sewn BIGGER "chunks" - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -